About Us
Who We Are
The Hood House is owned and operated by three generations of women: Carol Smith, Adelaide Fletcher and Evelyn Fletcher. Together they are Two and a Half Chicks, LLC. and are helped by their spouses, Kent and Stephen. Smith purchased the Hood House in 2000 after it had been closed for several years. It was reopened in 2001 and has been home away from home to repeat guests ever since.
Our Mission
To provide a quiet, private, comfortable atmosphere for travelers and locals – a home away from home. A full kitchen and many other amenities available to our guests make you feel like you are staying at a friend’s house.
History of the Hood House
The 19th Century
The story of the Hood House begins in 1889, just over 100 years before it became a bed and breakfast. It's eponymous builder, Thomas Hood was called from Laramie to build an Episcopalian church for the town of Saratoga, which was about to experience a boom due to a gold rush.
Mr. Hood found his skills so in demand that he closed up his shop in Laramie and moved his family to Saratoga in 1890. It wasn't until 1892 that he had the time to build a proper home for his growing family. Unfortunately for the Hoods, they were only able to enjoy the large Victorian beauty for a year before economic and other woes led to their return to the midwest. (Hood was from Spring Green, Wisconsin, and his bride Eva was from Trenholme, Quebec). Thomas Hood eventually settled his family in Chicago, where he became a dentist.
The 20th Century
The Hood House was home to several prominent Saratoga families over the years: the Dr. Adam Guthrie Burrell family (1894-1895); the Andrew Johnson Doggett family (1895-1899, 1900-1902) the Dr. Benjamin Burger family (1900); the Edward G. Ashley family (1902-1912); the Walter A. Pilon family (1913-1916); the Paul and Florence (Middlewood) Pilon family (1916-1923); the William E. Tilton family (1923-1934); the George Fryer family and the Charles Lee (and Clara Fryer) Wilcox family (1934-1980).
In 1985 Deborah Chastain purchased the house and, after extensive repair and restoration, opened the Hood House Bed and Breakfast. The Bed and Breakfast was closed for several years in the late 1990's.